What is umami?

Umami is the savoury taste associated with ingredients and dishes that provide deep, rounded savoury flavour.

In practical cooking, umami-rich ingredients can help add depth to soups, stocks, sauces, vegetables, meat dishes and plant-based recipes.

Instead of treating umami as one specific ingredient, think of it as a flavour characteristic that can come from fermented products, stocks, savoury seasonings and concentrated cooking bases.

Paste, powder or concentrated base?

Not every miso product is designed to be used in exactly the same way. The Nicol Retailer catalogue contains several different formats.

Traditional-style miso paste

Paste can be blended into broth, sauces, dressings and marinades. Its smooth consistency makes it easy to incorporate into liquids.

Dry miso seasoning

Dry miso products can provide a different method of adding miso flavour to vegetables, salads, meat and finished dishes.

Professional concentrated miso base

A concentrated base is designed to provide repeatable flavour and can be particularly practical for professional batch cooking.

Umami seasonings & flavour boosters

Umami seasonings can provide a concentrated way to increase savoury depth without necessarily turning the dish into a particular cuisine.

For example, Nicol Retailer currently lists Knorr Professional Intense Flavours Umami, a liquid seasoning built around slow-roasted onion and garlic flavours.

This type of ingredient can be useful in broths, marinades, sauces and vegetable dishes where additional savoury character is required.

How to use miso, pastes & umami ingredients

The best approach is to decide what role the ingredient needs to play in the finished dish.

• Soup or broth: use miso, stock or a concentrated base to build savoury depth.
• Noodle dishes: combine broth, noodles, vegetables and an appropriate miso or aromatic flavour base.
• Marinades: miso and savoury pastes can work with acidity, sweetness and aromatics.
• Vegetables: umami-rich seasoning can help add depth to roasted, grilled or stir-fried vegetables.
• Sauces: small quantities of concentrated seasoning can deepen flavour without dominating the sauce.
• Plant-based dishes: miso and other savoury ingredients can help create fuller, more complex flavour profiles.

Pair umami ingredients with the rest of your kitchen

Miso and savoury flavour bases work best when combined with fresh ingredients and appropriate meal components.

For noodle dishes, pair them with products from the Noodles, Rice & Grains Buying Guide .

For dressings and marinades, explore the Cooking Oils & Vinegars Guide UK .

For vegetables, herbs and chillies, visit Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Online UK .

Ingredients, allergens & dietary suitability

Miso and other savoury bases can contain allergens, particularly soya. Other products may also contain wheat, sesame or additional allergens depending on the recipe.

A product being described as plant-based or umami-rich does not automatically mean it is suitable for every specialist diet.

Always check the current ingredient list, allergen statement and packaging for the specific product.

Explore more specialist cooking ingredients

Miso, pastes and umami seasonings are one part of Nicol Retailer’s wider ingredient range.

For stocks, oils, noodles, seasonings and other pantry essentials, visit Cooking Ingredients Online UK .

For prepared sauces, marinades and condiments, visit Sauces & Condiments Online UK .